Double acting door reversing track



July 7, 1931. R. D. coNKLlN DOUBLE ACTING DOOR REVERSING TRACK Filed Nov. 19. 1950 Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RosCoE D. CONKLIN, F BAHWAY, NEW JERSEY, AssrGNoR. To NATIONAL rNnUMATIc COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA DOUBLE ACTING DOOR REVERSING TRACK Application filed November 19, 1930. Serial No. 496,609.

This invention relates in general to movable door tracks for doors of the folding leaf type.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a folding door guide track so constructed as to be movable when the door meets an obstruction, the movement of which track is employed to operate a switch to reverse the controls of the power device which is operating the door to closed position to cause it to Iopen.

A further object of this invention is the provision of mechanism of this type which operates to reverse the door movement when the door strikes an obstruction to cause it to push the door transversely of its path of movement in eith er direction.

A still further `object of this invention is the provision of mechanism of this type which is exceedingly simple in structure, rugged in construction, and adapted for hard usage.

These and other features as will appear from Ithe following disclosure are secured by means ofthe apparatus of this invention.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts as will be set forth in detail below.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view.

It is of course very old in the art to provide door reversing mechanism for causing the door to move to open position if while closing it strikes an obstruction. Prior art apparatus of this type is particularly well known for use in connection with sliding doors. This invention is more particularly directed to the folding type of door which comprises two or more leaves hinged together, which leaves fold over one another as the door opens. The device comprises a track in which the guide roller mounted on the upper edge of the outermost leaf moves. This track is constructed so that when the door strikes an obstruction to force it in either direction transversely of the track, the track is movable to operate mechanism to close a switch which switch effects reversal of the power device operating the door to cause it to move to open position after striking the obstruction. The invention is not limited to the type of power device used for operating the door, nor to the control mechanism and circuits employed, and furthermore such mechanism is old in the art.

Referring to the drawings represents a. base or supporting plate for the mechanism of this invention. The device is of unitary construction which lits over the top of the doorway to provide a gateway for the door roller. Pivotally mounted on this plate are two angle irons 1 and 2 arranged in parallel relation. The angle irons 1 and 2 are pivotally supported on the plate by means of the bolts 3 and 4. The space A between the flanges of the angle irons provides the track for the roller on the upper edge of the door. The end of angle iron 2 opposite its pivoted end is provided with a pin 5 which projects into the casing of a switch 6, so that when this pin moves into the casing the switch is closed. 7 represents a coil spring for holding the angle iron 2 in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1. Likewise the end of angle iron 1 opposite its pivoted end is provided with a link 8 pivotally connected thereto and pivotally connected to a second link 9 extending at right angles thereto. The link 9 is pivotally supported on the fixed pin 10, and is pivotally connected to pin 5 and angle iron 2. This spring 7 through these connections also holds angle iron 1 in its normal posit-ion so that it is parallel to angle iron 2. Plates 12 are made of angle iron similar to the angle irons 1 and 2 and are rigidly fixed to the base plate 30 in spaced relation. The guide roller on the door when the door is closed lies between these two fixed angle plates 12. At 13 is a rod slidably supported in the guide blocks 22', 19, and 16. The angle irons 17 and 21 are the same as angle irons 1 and 2, and are rigidly fixed to the base plate in alignment with angle irons 1 and 2 respectively. The guide blocks 16 and 19 are likewise rigidly secured to the base plate. Guide block 22 is rigidly secured to the base plate so that the free end of angle iron 1 may slide freely under it. This angle iron is provided with the slot 22 through which the pin for supporting guide block 22 passes. Rod 13 is provided with a stop 14 keyed thereto. Between the stop 14 and the iXed guide block 16 lies a coiled spring 15. Secured to rod 13 is a bar 18 which extends into the path of movement of the roller as is apparent from Fig. 1. At 14 is a stop plate which is normally iixed to, and movable with angle iron 1 in the path of rod 13 to prevent it from moving to the right.

In the operation of this apparatus, when the forward end of Vthe folding door strikes an obstruction the roller on the door reacts either to the right or left, causing either angle iron Q to pivot in a clockwise direction or angle plate 1 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction. If the roller presses against angle plate 2, it moves downwardly (when viewed in Fig. 1) causing pin 5 to move into the switch box to close the switch which controls the mechanism o't the motive device operating the door to eiiect a reversal thereof to cause the door to move back to full open position. If the roller on the door moves upwardly (Fig. 1) angle plate 1 pivots upwardly and through links 8 and 9 again causes pin 5 to close the switch. It will be apparent, due to the interconnecting links between the angle irons that both angle irons will move together in unison, but away from each other. In either operation spring 7 is compressed tending to return the angle irons to normal position. However, this is prevented by reason of thefact that spring 15 moves rod 13 to the right (Fig. 1), out of contact with the stop 14 locking the apparatus in operated position. The reason for this is that if the reacting force caused by the obstruction on the door is only momentary, the door would not reverse to full open position as desired. The bar 13 therefore acts as a lock to hold the track inoperated position until the door is fully opened. At this time the roller on the door engages the bar 18 projected in its path, causing rod 13 to slide back to the left, compressing spring When rod 13 has moved sufliciently to disengage it from the stop plate 14, spring 7 will snap the parts back to normal parallel relation.

At this time switch 6 is open, pin 5 being retracted, and the control mechanism operates automatically to start the door to closing position and to continue its movement until the door is close-d. As stated above, when the door is closed the guide roller lies between the rigidly supported angle plates 12 and cannot act upon the apparatus. Likewise when` the door is fully open it lies between the fixed angle plates 17 and 21.

From the above description it will be apparent that this invention resides in certain principles of construction and operation which may be embodied in other physical forms than that shown in the drawings, and

the door operates, means for interconnecting the free ends of the bars, meansv for resili- 'ently holding them in normal parallel relation, and a control `means operated thereby when the door strikes an obstruction for controlling the` door.

2. A folding door guide track of the type described comprising two pivotally supported bars between which the guide roller of the door operates, means for interconnecting the free ends of the bars, means for resiliently holding them in normal parallel relation, switch means operatedA thereby when the door strikes an obstruction to cause the bars to move on their pivotal supports, and means for holding the bars in pivoted position, said switch means controlling the reversing of the door.

In a double acting door reversing track for use with a power operated door having a guide roller mounted thereonwhich runs in the track, the combination comprising two pivotally supported bars forming la Aguide track for the roller, means for pivotally uniting the free ends of the bars so that they will move together, means for holding said bars in normal parallel relation, vand a control device operated by the movement of the bars when the door strikes an obstruction for reversing the door. .4

4. In a double acting door reversing track for use with a power operated door having a guide roller mounted thereon which runs in the track, the combination comprising two pivot-ally supported bars forming a guide track for the roller, means fory pivotally uniting the'free ends of the bars so that they will move together, means for holding said bars in normal parallel relation, door control means operated by the movement of the bars whenV the door strikes an obstruction, and means for locking the bars in operated position.r

5. In a double acting door-reversing track for use with a power operated door having a guide roller mounted thereon which runs in the track, the combination comprising two pivotally supported bars forming a guide track for the roller, means forpivotally uniting the free ends of the bars so that they willl move together, means for holding said bars in normal parallel relation, switch means op-V erated by the movement of the bars when the door strikes an obstruction, means for locking the bars in operated position, andmeans projecting into the path of movement of the door guide roller k:or releasing said locking means when engaged thereby, said switch means reversing the power operated door.

6. In a double acting door reversing track in which the guide roller of a power operated door operates, the combination comprising two movably supported bars, means for uniting the free ends of the bars so that they move simultaneously, a spring pressed slidable rod, a stop on one of said bars for engaging said rod, said rod moving past the edge of said stop when said bars are moved through the reaction of the guide roller when the door strikes an obstruction, and a control device operated by the movement of the bars.

7. In a double acting door reversing track in which the guide roller of a power operated door operates, the combination comprising two movably supported bars, means for uniting the free ends of the bars so that they move simultaneously in normal parallel position, a spring pressed slidable rod, a stop on one of said bars for engaging said rod, said rod moving past the edge of said stop when said bars are moved through the reaction of the guide roller when the door strikes an obstruction, and means secured to said rod and projecting into the path of movement of the guide roller and engageable thereby to move the rod out of engagement with the stop when the door fully opens.

8. In a double acting power reversing track in which the guide roller of a power operated door operates, the combination comprising two movably supported bars, means 'for uniting the ree ends of the bars so that they move simultaneously in normal parallel position7 a spring pressed slidable rod, a stop on one of said bars for engaging said rod, said rod moving past the edge of said stop when said bars are moved through the reaction of the guide roller when the door strikes an obstruction, and a door control device, operated upon movement of said bars.

9. In a double acting door reversing track in which the guide roller of a power operated door operates, the combination comprising two movably supported bars, means for uniting the free ends of the bars so that they move simultaneously in. normal parallel position, a spring pressed slidable rod, a stop on one of said bars Jfor engaging said rod, said rod moving past the edge of said stop when said lbars are moved through the reaction of the guide roller when the door strikes an obstruction, means secured to said rod and and projecting into the path of movement of the guide roller and engageable thereby to move the rod out o engagement with the stop when the door fully opens, and control means operated by the movement ofsaid bars for reversing t e door.

10. In a track device for use with a power operated door having a guide roller thereon,

the combination compri ing two pivotally supported parallel track forming members between which the guide roller moves, means for pivotally uniting said track forming members, a control device operated by said means upon the movement of the track forming members 'for reversing the door operating power means, and means for holding said bars in normal position.

1l. In a track device for use with a power operated door having a guide roller thereon, the combination comprising two pivotally supported parallel track forming members between which the guide roller moves, means lor pivotally uniting said track forming members, a control device operated by said means upon the movement of the track forming members for controlling the power operated door, means for holding said bars in normal position, and means for holding the track forming members in operated position atter the door strikes an obstruction.

12. In a track device for use with a power operated door having a. guide roller thereon, the combination comprising two pivotally supported parallel track forming members between which the guide roller moves, means 'for pivotally uniting said track forming members, a control device operated by said means upon the movement of the track forming members for reversing the power operated door, means for holding said bars in normal position, means for holding the track 'forming members in operated position after the door strikes an obstruction, and means for releasing the holding means upon engagement with the guide roller to permit the track forming members to return said control device to normal position.

In testimony whereotq I have hereunto set my hand on this 12th day of November A. D.,

ROSCOE D. CONKLIN. 

